Last night, PLATINUM Rock band Better Than Ezra electrified the crowd at the Grand Ole Opry during their debut in Nashville’s most legendary circle as a part of the historic Opry 100 celebration. Compromised of Kevin Griffin, Tom Drummond, Jim Payne and Michael Jerome, the quartet packed the house and delivered a three-song set comprised of definitive hits.

Among the highlights, Better Than Ezra brought down the house with influential staples such as “Good” and “Coyote,” plus a cover of “Never Tear Us Apart” by INXS. Surprising the audience, they also welcomed none other than Jeff Coffin — saxophonist of Dave Matthews Band — to join them for a spectacular and spirited rendition of “Never Tear Us Apart.” 

“It’s such a pleasure to be here,” Griffin shared on stage.  “You know we grew up Country music fans in Northern Louisiana, so to be here and to be on stage is pretty amazing.”

PHOTO CREDIT: © GRAND OLE OPRY, PHOTOS BY CHRIS HOLLO

Running non-stop, it's a jam-packed week for Better Than Ezra. This Sunday (9/28), the group will hit the stage at Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival in Franklin, TN, marking their eighth appearance on the bill of the festival co-founded and produced by Griffin. Check out a first look at the festival set-up here and watch a special exclusive interview with Griffin and Maggie Rose who is making her Pilgrimage Music & Cultural festival debut on American Songwriter. Limited tickets are available here.

Back in July, Better Than Ezra unveiled their cover of  “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out,” available on all streaming platforms now, listen here. They’ve Ezra-fied the song in the best way, making summer fireworks out of the friction between Gen-Z viral excitement and Gen-X vital energy.

Last year, Better Than Ezra released their tenth album and first full-length LP in a decade, Super Magick. Griffin co-produced the effort alongside GRAMMY^® Award winner Emery Dobyns [Patti Smith, Suzanne Vega, The Black Crowes]. Met with critical acclaim, RIFF Magazine professed, “Longtime Better Than Ezra fans will be glad to hear ‘Live a Little’ and ‘Grateful,’ which are already fan favorites, and will definitely think Super Magick was worth the 10-year wait.” In addition to looks from UPROXX, Brooklyn Vegan, and more. Entertainment Tonight plugged it on “New Music Friday,” and American Songwriter applauded the single “Live A Little” as “feel-good.”

2025 notably marks the 30^th anniversary of Better Than Ezra’s PLATINUM-certified classic breakout album, Deluxe. Of course, it houses staples such as “In the Blood,” “Rosealia,” “Porcelain,” and the generational hit “Good,” which soared to #1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks Chart. Indicative of the record’s enduring impact, the song has amassed north of 100 MILLION total streams. NOLA.com recently looked back at Deluxe as well. Not to mention, they delivered a stunning set for a SOLD-OUT crowd at The Fillmore in New Orleans followed by a showstopping performance at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

ABOUT BETTER THAN EZRA:
Songs, albums, live performances — some are simply timeless. From their early roots, circa 1988, playing house parties at Louisiana State University, Better Than Ezra has made their mark on the music world in a major way. Yes, the New Orleans quartet, founded by Kevin Griffin [lead vocals, guitar, piano] and Tom Drummond [bass, backing vocals], who unleash hummable melodies, unshakable guitar riffs, and confessional lyrics, have stood the test of time — from 1995’s #1 hit “Good” all the way to Taylor Swift’s famous 2010 cover of the Better Than Ezra classic “Breathless.” And they’re still going strong: in May 2024, the band released their long-anticipated tenth studio album Super Magick via Round Hill Records. Named one of the “100 Greatest Alternative Artists of All Time” by Billboard, with a legacy that includes inspiring a classic Saturday Night Live skit, Better Than Ezra continues tacking on career-defining accomplishments as they celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the album that started it all, Deluxe. 

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